Please help us narrow down our search for our fiver for our upcoming FT travel in our land yacht!

We are looking for a 29-32 ft fifth wheel with a 'dry weight' of no more than 10K that we will be living in for at least a year full time. We would like the following specs but a well constructed fiver is important to us and we are looking for some good reviews:

I have the Flagstaff 8528 CKWS and am very pleased with the value for dollar. The flooplan gives a large living area with ample kitchen space. Lots of basement storage and will fit within your criteria.

There are so many floor plans you really need to search online for ones you think you would like. One word of caution. Terms like DRY or SHIPPING are totally meaninglesd. Look ar GVWR numbers. You may never hit the GVWR but I would also gusrantee you will never see the dry weights either. Base everything on gross weights and stick with factory TV GVWR and your experiences will be pleadant.

I know that it is frequently said that dry weight is meaningless, but that may not be true. If, for example, you know that you tend to load up with 1200 lbs. of stuff, then your loaded weight will be 1200 more than the dry weight. The GVWR is what becomes irrelevant.

I agree. As far as floor plan for the weight restriction you are looking at, the 8528 RKWS is a good choice. I went full time and looked around - a lot. I had a relatively new Toyota Tundra that I loved, do I went light. I'm assuming you already have a truck and you're trying to stay under the limit for that vehicle. Be sure to look at the gross vehicle weight and towing capacity. Remember what you carry in your trick counts against your limit, which includes people. My RV weighs in in the high 8000 range with all my normal stuff loaded and a forth tank of fresh water. That's the way I like to travel. If I put extra tools in, I'm still hitting less than 9k. I pull it all over, including high passes in Colorado, at highway speeds when the winds cooperate. If they are against me I drop it down below the posted limit to save fuel.

It will almost always weigh more then the dry weight. 1,200 lbs is not enough for full timing. I would plan to be near the trailer weight limit. You will have lots of choices and all that I have seen have separate toilets. Good luck

If you are full-timing, I would avoid the "lightweights", as their insulation, frames, axles, and many other items are indeed lightweight.
They don't even have roof rafters!
We have a 28 foot Flagstaff (really 31 feet), and I wouldn't full-time in it. We bought it only because it was light, and we don't use it heavily.

You might have a hard time finding a fifth with seperate toilet and all of the other features you want, as it seems that the manufacturers are going more toward a fully-enclosed bathroom.

You may also want to consider a slightly longer trailer, as there are many that still come in under 10K lbs, and many of them have a bedroom slideout, which gives you so much more room and storage.

The Sabre 32RCTS is at the top of your load range, but would be an awesome full-time unit. The Sabres are very well built. The 31RLTS is also very nice, although it appears they use lighter axles, as the load capacity is less.

And even though this is a Forest River site, don't rule out the other makes. Keystone has some very nice fifths in that weight range, the Cougar High Country fifths with the "helium" construction especially so, and they have thicker walls than some, thus better insulation.

I would suggest spending a considerable amount of time on the internet, researching all of the different models and their features. If you are going to full-time for a year, you will want something that is comfortable.
Once you have a few fifths picked out, go and see them in person, as that is the only way to be sure of the quality. Pull out drawers, look inside cabinet boxes, compare frame sizes and axle weights, and don't be afraid to ask questions.

If you don't mind shopping, picking out a new camper can be lots of fun!
Good luck!